Have you ever walked down a city street past a run of jewellery shop windows and thought, 'Everything is white, where is the colour and vibrancy?' Here is an introduction to coloured diamonds which may make you reconsider your diamond wish list and see you stand out from the crowd.
Regardless of whether you are looking for one of the most emotional pieces of jewellery you will ever buy - an engagement ring, or have never before bought a piece of fine jewellery, or perhaps already have an enviable collection, it is really important that you are fully informed about the quality of the gemstones and diamonds within the jewellery you are buying. As one of the most experienced jewellery professionals in Scotland, I can ensure you are completely appraised of all the appropriate information.
So, diamonds are white aren't they? The short answer is no. In fact, when we talk about the colour of a diamond and how ‘white’ it is, we are actually describing how colourless it is. The ‘whitest’ diamonds technically have no discernible colour, or tint, whilst those which are described as being ‘off white’ show a discernible colour or tint.
Intriguingly though, did you know that diamonds actually come in an enormous range of colours referred to as ‘fancy colour’ diamonds?
The rarest colour is red with only a few known to have been mined, followed by blue and green and accordingly these diamonds will command the highest values. One of the most famous blue diamonds in the world is ‘The Hope’, which I cover in some more detail in my lecture ‘Famous Women Jewellery Collectors’.
In May 2017, an international auctioneer in Geneva sold two jewels which could be worn as a pair of earrings, one was set with a 16.00cts pear-cut Fancy Intense Pink diamond and the other with a 14.54cts pear-cut Fancy Vivid Blue diamond. They made CHF 15,256250 and CHF 41,862,500 respectively. Rarity makes enormous an enormous difference to value and pinks are found in nature more frequently than blues. These are of course exceptional stones and it is possible to add colour to your collection without having to spend at that level, however, it is crucial to choose your advisor wisely, not all fancy colour diamonds are naturally coloured and it is imperative you understand what you are buying.
There is an internationally important collection of coloured diamonds known as 'The Aurora Collection' which is exhibited at The Natural History Museum in London and well worth viewing should the opportunity to do so ever arise. It is a real eye opener and might inspire you to think in terms of technicolour rather than black and white.
Contact Clare to discuss standing out from the crowd.